Melody’s Echo Chamber, Splashh, Jacco Gardner – the list of emerging stars in the realm of vaguely psychedelic rock is increasingly large these days. Sadly, on this evidence, it’s improbable that Lumerians will rise to near the top of the pile any time soon.

The consistently spaced-out group were formed in 2006, putting out an EP and one full length prior to The High Frontier. Though it’s released on the Brooklyn-based Partisan imprint (Pure Bathing Culture, Callers), their second album is their first release to get a proper push in the UK.

Despite all of its 33 minutes being recorded in a home built studio that also doubles as a brewery, there’s little to suggest anything particularly wacky rubbed off on the sound. Though it feels much longer than its half hour run time, it does admittedly kick off with a cracker; ‘Dogon Genesis’ is a five minute concoction of funk and trance that feels like Muse losing their marbles. It works - for five minutes. Then we delve into the title track, and right from the off, you can notice the absence of the energy and fire contained in the opener, which is here substituted for something disappointingly plain.

But then, like petrol poured on to a dwindling fire, out of nowhere there’s an instrumental which threatens to set the place alight. But yet again, unfortunately, after a strong start, once ‘The Bloom’ gets going, it’s difficult to distinguish it from what came before it, or indeed what comes after. There are moments of welcome peculiarity, such as on ‘Koman Tong’ where guitar shredding, layered synths and a playful rhythm up the interest levels a little, but still without being particularly dazzling. Sadly, ‘Smokies Tangle’ fares even worse, subjecting us to an aimless, seven minute instrumental.

It all finishes on a mysterious note. Like the majority of the record, its closing section is full of trippy synths and pulsating rhythms which should come together as more than a ramble of noise. Whilst it’s clear that the Oregon foursome have a huge love for their chosen field, one only hopes they can showcase it with a bit more purpose in future.

- Sam Davies